On October 1, 1978, the company town became a separate local improvement district.

There are now more than 1,000 business improvement districts nationwide.

He said the improvement district would keep rates low in order to draw shoppers.

The improvement district will provide the replacement lamps when necessary.

The effective date of the improvement district's formation was January 1, 2012.

These improvement districts are the result of a partnership between the city and its communities.

What the commissioners eventually decided had to be done was the creation of the special improvement district, in 1999.

Tim Tompkins, president of the improvement district, said about $6 million was needed.

But the downtown area is nevertheless forming an improvement district.

Since then, the number of improvement districts has grown to 35, in 29 municipalities.